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No. 22-ranked and Conference USA champion UTSA will make its third consecutive and fourth overall bowl game appearance when it travels to Orlando, Florida, to face No. 23/24 Troy in the Duluth Trading Cure Bowl on Friday, Dec. 16. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. Eastern/2 p.m. Central time at Exploria Stadium and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
“It’s an honor to accept this invitation to the Cure Bowl, and we’re looking forward to all of Roadrunner Nation making the trip to Orlando for this exciting matchup with Troy,” said UTSA Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Lisa Campos. “Jeff Traylor has taken our football program to new heights and this matchup on ESPN will be a chance for the rest of the country to see what UTSA is all about. Our student-athletes, coaches, staff and everyone involved with the program have made our university and the city of San Antonio proud this season, and this bowl game is a tremendous reward for all of their hard work and dedication.”
Under the direction of third-year head coach Jeff Traylor, the Roadrunners improved to 11-2 with a 48-27 victory over North Texas in the C-USA Championship Game on Dec. 2, securing their second straight league title in front of 41,412 fans, the third-largest home crowd in program history. UTSA and Troy (11-2), the Sun Belt Conference champion, both are riding 10-game winning streaks, tied for the third-longest active streak in the FBS.
“I couldn’t be more excited for our players to get to travel to one of the premier bowl destinations in the country in Orlando and play a fellow top-25 team and conference champion in Troy in the Cure Bowl,” Traylor said. “We’re thrilled about the matchup and the platform to showcase UTSA and the 210 Triangle of Toughness brand on national TV on the opening day of bowl season. It’s been an unbelievable season of overcoming adversity to achieve success and break records, and now there is an opportunity to get one more first for our school — a bowl win.”
This will be the first meeting between UTSA and Troy. It also will mark the second time in the last three years that the Roadrunners will play a Sun Belt team in a bowl game (Louisiana, 2020 First Responder Bowl), and the third consecutive bowl matchup against a top-25 team.
"On behalf of the Orlando Sports Foundation, we are honored to welcome Troy and UTSA to the Duluth Trading Cure Bowl,” said Orlando Sports Foundation CEO and Duluth Trading Cure Bowl Executive Director Alan Gooch. “Gameday is going to be special as college football fans, cancer survivors and supporters, both team’s bands and the Orlando Community come together at Church Street Station for the March 2Cure before heading to Exploria Stadium to watch the Trojans compete against the Roadrunners.”
"The Duluth Trading Cure Bowl remains committed to bringing teams together to find a cure for cancer,” said Orlando Sports Foundation President Ray Bastin. “Troy and UTSA will carry on our tradition of raising awareness for cancer research.”
UTSA played in its first bowl game in just its sixth season — tying an NCAA startup program record — against New Mexico at the 2016 New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque. The Lobos built a 10-point lead and held on for a 23-20 win on a cold and windy afternoon at University Stadium.
The Roadrunners nearly completed a comeback against No. 16 Louisiana in the 2020 First Responder Bowl at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas. UTSA rallied from a 24-7 deficit to tie the game, only to see the Ragin’ Cajuns score a late touchdown and escape with a 31-24 victory.
UTSA met No. 24 San Diego State in the Frisco Bowl on Dec. 21, 2021. The Aztecs pulled away late for a 38-24 victory in the Roadrunners’ third all-time bowl appearance.